1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the method of and apparatus for fueling an internal combustion engine with a vapor derived from a water-hydrocarbon emulsion, to electrolytically conductive emulsions useful for producing the vapor, and to vaporizers for electrolytically producing the vapor fuel from the emulsions.
2. Related Applications
My copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 475,645, filed June 3, 1974 entitled "Vaporization Means and Method" discloses a vaporizer useful in connection with the present invention. My copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 544,145, filed Jan. 27, 1975 entitled "Gasoline-Water Emulsion" discloses a water-hydrocarbon emulsion system useful with the present invention.
3. Prior Art
Hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engines are produced in large numbers and have been the subject of intensive research and development over many years, but they all exhibit well recognized shortcomings in certain aspects of their performance. One difficulty derives from the fact that the fuel/air ratio required to produce reliable ignition fills the combustion chamber with substantially more fuel than can be consumed during the ensuing explosion. The unburned hydrocarbons substantially lower the fuel efficiency of the engine, represent a substantial pollution factor in the exhaust, and tend to adhere to the walls of the combustion chamber, causing predetonation. If the fuel/air ratio is lowered to the point where the entire fuel charge is consumed during the explosion it is difficult to sustain reliable ignition of the charge.
The liquid hydrocarbon, typically gasoline, is not itself explosive; rather, only the vapor derived from the liquid is explosive. Since the vaporization process is exothermic, past efforts have been made to warm the fuel charge before it is admitted to the combustion cylinders, in order to hasten the vaporization.
A variety of heat exchangers which warm the charge with the combustion exhaust products have been proposed as well as various electric resistant heaters. In most modern carburetors a "hot spot" is provided which is heated with the exhaust gas. Also, various forms of "atomizers" have been proposed to subdivide the fuel into droplet form, thereby increasing the surface area of a given fluid quantity to hasten its vaporization.
While all of these devices have some utility, the fact remains that in modern automotive engines much of the fuel is still in liquid form at the start of the combustion chamber explosion despite the fact that both the fuel economy of the engine and the cleanliness of its exhaust would be improved if the charge were in pure vapor form.
Another manner in which the efficiency of an internal combustion engine may be improved is by the mixture of water vapor with the intake fuel charge. The latent heat of vaporization of the water vapor absorbs some of the heat energy of the explosion and thus slows the combustion process. This decreases the tendency toward pre-ignition and allows the use of a lower octane fuel for given engine compression ratio. A variety of arrangements have been proposed for injecting water vapor into the combustion chamber with the fuel charge. The use of a water-fuel emulsion to provide water vapor in the combustion chamber has also been proposed but despite extensive development this technique has not been applied to any substantial commercial use.